Super Gypsy

     Yeah, yeah, I know you feel mistreated. I get back to writing and suddenly stop again. I 'm a big tease. You're not talking to me, you mean it this time. Yeah, I get it. But come on I have chocolate. Okay, so I can't really share cause Wonka Vision doesn't exist. Hey it's the thought that counts.

    So a lots changed this winter. I don't mean just not having Pops around or settling into town living.  I mean- this winter I got another ear infection and went deaf. Completely. Yeah, I'll sit back while you all gasp in horror and give me mental hugs. . . Not so tight people. Geeze. I'm deaf not dead. The fact of the matter is it's not big a difference from what I hear anyways. My hearing has gotten so bad it's more like I catch a letter sound than a word, if I'm lucky. I've gotten great at speech reading people.

    And something amazing came out of it. Gypsy Rose is now my Hearing Dog. Yes, I'm serious the queen bee has come down off the throne to be my ears. Truthfully she's been doing it for longer than I can remember, I just didn't realize she could do it away from home. Let me give you the mental picture.

     A wide-eyed, crazy looking woman is preceded by a small black pug with a bright orange leash and lettered vest. You notice a car coming around the aisle of the parking lot quicker than they're suppose to. The crazy looking dog lady isn't looking at the tire squealing vehicle and is walking right into it's path. You start to jump up and down to get either her attention or the drivers. And then you notice the small dog cross in front of her and sits preventing her from going forward. She looks down with a slightly puzzled look and starts looking around. This all happens quicker than ten seconds but she notices the car and starts waving her hands at the dog.

    Sounds like fiction probably, right? That's actually exactly what Gypsy did for me the first time I took her in public with the intention of seeing if she'd benefit me. But it was really a ride on floor sweeper in Sam's club. (The car one came a few weeks later, and scared the reese's pieces out of me.) I nervously took her place to place at first. Waiting for a crowd to gather and point at me and say "Dogs aren't allowed in here!" It never came. And I realized how anxious I had become in public, and how that changed with Gypsy there. People didn't "sneak up" on me cause Gypsy blocked them. I knew exactly where my husband and kids were cause Gypsy told me. If we got separated it wasn't a frantic search in every direction I trusted Gypsy to take me to them. I even went to town...by myself! *GASP*

    The weeks stretched on and after two different antibiotics my ear infection is gone, and gradually my hearing has "returned" at least for me.  But even with my aid things aren't clear. So Gypsy remains my constant companion.

    **Disclaimer: This should not be an tried unless your dog is specifically trained to a task and you are disabled. Gypsy is a highly unusual case. She has been trained and conditioned to do this at home for the past couple of years as my hearing declined. Which is the only reason she can be classified as a service dog. And she is exceptionally obedient to me and super socialized. Do not take your dog in public just because.**